Prayer For Christian Youth to Grow in Grace
Prayers for Children
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, I bless thee, that of thy infinite goodness thou hast preserved me this night past, and brought me in safety to this morning.
Withdraw not, I humbly beseech thee, thy protection from me, but take me under the care of thy providence this day.
Watch over me with the eyes of thy mercy, direct my soul and body according to the rule of thy will, that I may pass this and all my days to thy glory.
O Lord, I am but a child, and know not how to go out or come in; and I am in the midst of a sinful world. Give therefore unto thy servant an understanding heart, that I may know and choose the good, and abhor and shun that which is evil. According to thy mercy, think upon me, O Lord, for thy goodness. Make me to remember thee in the days of my youth.
O learn me true wisdom, and let the law of thy mouth be dearer to me than thousands of gold and silver and let my whole delight be therein.
O let me be devoted to thee from my childhood. Keep my heart all love of the world, of riches, or any other created thing, and fill it with the love of God. Thou knowest how many and powerful are the enemies of my soul, that seek to destroy it, the flesh and the devil.
O Lord, help; O Lord, save; O Lord, deliver me from them. Give me grace to renounce them all, and to keep thy holy will and commandments all the days of my life. Show me and make me what I must be before I can inherit thy kingdom. Teach me thy truth as it is in Jesus. Save me from my own will, and let thine be done in me and by me.O make me thy child by adoption and grace. Renew me daily with thy Holy Spirit, and guide me in all my ways, till thou hast perfected me for thy heavenly kingdom.
Make me dutiful to my parents, affectionate to my relations, obedient to my superiors, and loving towards all mankind.
And grant that as I grow in stature, I may grow in wisdom and in thy favour, till thou shalt take me to thine everlasting kingdom, there to dwell with thee for ever and ever, through Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.
“Our Father,” etc.
Saturday Evening
I DESIRE to offer unto thee, O Lord, my evening sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for all thy mercies bestowed upon me. I bless thee for my creation, preservation, and, above all, for my redemption by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
I bless thee for bringing me safely to the conclusion of this day, and humbly implore the pardon of all the sins I have been guilty of, whether in thought, word, or deed.
Have mercy upon me, O God, and do thou free me from all the sins I have committed, and deliver me from the punishment I have deserved.
O thou blessed Guide of my youth, give me thy grace to seek after thee in my early years, that thou mayest not be unmindful of me in the time of age. Keep me from the evil of the world, and carry me safe through it to thy kingdom. Take care of me, and provide for me, and dispose of me in the world, as shall be most for thy glory and my good.
Leave me not to myself, in the hands of my own counsel, but let me be taught of God. Take thou, O Lord, the gracious charge, and guidance, and government of me, and fix in my heart thy fear and love, and direct all my ways to please not myself but thee.
O redeem me from the power of my sins by thy grace, and from the punishment of them by thy Blood, and by both bring me to thy glory.
I DESIRE, O my God, to give up myself wholly to thee. I would be thine, and only thine, for ever. O my God, my Saviour, turn not away thy face from a poor child that seeks thee. Give me to know that I am nothing, and can do nothing, of myself; and that if ever I am thine, I must be wholly indebted to thee for it.
Let me be entirely devoted unto thee, and do thou make me obedient and faithful unto the end. Make me to remember thee in my bed, and think upon thee when I am waking; thou hast preserved me from the dangers of the day past, thou hast been my support ever since I was born.Under the shadow of thy wings let me pass this night in comfort and peace. Keep me both in body and soul, and give me such rest as my body has need of. And grant, O Lord, that when I lay down my body in the grave, my soul may rise to life immortal, through the merits and intercession of thy dear Son, my Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
“Our Father,” etc.
A Prayer for Relations, Friends, &c., to be used after Morning and Evening Prayer
VOUCHSAFE, O Lord, to bless my father and mother, and all my relations, with the fear of thy name. Bless them in their souls and bodies; perfect them in every good word and work, and be thou their guide unto death.
Bless my friends, forgive my enemies; and grant unto all mankind the knowledge and love of thee. Have mercy upon all who are afflicted in mind, body, or estate. Give them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue all their afflictions; and receive them and me at last into thy blessed kingdom, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Grace before Meals
O LORD, I beseech thee, give thy blessing with what thy mercy has here provided me with, that whether I eat or drink, or whatsoever I do, I may do all to thy glory and praise, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
After Meals
O LORD my God, I bless thy holy name for this mercy, which I have now received from thy bounty and goodness. Feed now my soul with thy grace, that I may make it my meat and drink to do thy gracious will, through Jesus Christ my Saviour. Amen.
Source: ‘John Wesley’s Journal’
Источник: //www.cai.org/bible-studies/prayers-children
PRAYER – Tips for New and Growing Christians • ChristianAnswers.Net
It has been well said that God always answers prayer. Sometimes He says, “Yes.” sometimes He says, “NO.” Sometimes He says, “Wait for a minute,” and a day to the Lord is a thousand years to us (2 Peter 3:8). That means that a ten year wait for us, is 14 minutes and 24 seconds to God, so ask in faith, but rest in peace-filled patience.
Surveys show that more than 90% of America prays daily. No doubt they pray for health, wealth, happiness, etc. They also pray when grandma gets sick, and when grandma doesn't get better (or dies), many end up disillusioned, and some end up bitter.
This is because they don't understand what the Bible says about prayer. It teaches that sin will stop God even hearing our prayers (Psalm 66:18). It teaches, among other things, that if we pray with doubt, we will not get an answer (James 1:6-7).
Here's how to be heard:
How do you “pray with faith?” Someone once said to me, “Ray, you're a man of great faith in God,” thinking that they were paying me a compliment. They weren't. If I said to you, “I'm a man of great faith in my doctor? It's to the doctor.
If I have great faith in him, it means that I see him as being a man of integrity, a man of great ability—that he is trustworthy. I give “glory” to the man through my faith in him.
The Bible says that Abraham “staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able to also perform” (Romans 4:20-21). Abraham was a man of great faith in God. Remember, that is not a compliment to Abraham.
He merely caught a glimpse of God's incredible ability, His impeccable integrity, and His wonderful faithfulness to keep every promise He makes. His faith gave “glory” to a faithful God.
As far as God is concerned, if you belong to Jesus, you are a VIP. You can boldly come before the throne of Grace (Hebrews 4:16). You have access to the king, because you are the son or daughter of the king. When you were a child, did you have to grovel to get your needs met by your mom or dad? I hope not.
So, when you pray, don't say, “Oh God, I hope you will supply my needs.” Instead say something , “Father, thank you that you keep every promise You make.
Your Word says that you will supply all my needs according to Your riches in glory, by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). Therefore, I thank you that you will do this thing for my family.
I ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus. Amen”
It was the great missionary, Hudson Taylor, who said, “The prayer power has never been tried to its full capacity. If we want to see Divine power wrought in the place of weakness, failure, and disappointment, let us answer God's standing challenge, ‘Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things of which thou knowest not of’.”How do you get “clean hands a pure heart?” Simply by confessing your sins to God, through Jesus Christ. His blood cleanses from all sin (1 John 1:7-9). When you confess them to God through Jesus, God will not only forgive your every sin, He promises to forget that sin (Hebrew 8:12).
He will even justify you, on the grounds of the sacrifice of the Savior. That means He will count it as though you have never sinned in the first place. He will make you pure in His sight—sinless.
he will even “purge” your conscience, so that you will no longer have that sense of guilt that you sinned in the first place. That's what I means “to be justified by faith.
” That's why you need to soak yourself in Holy Scripture—to read the letters to the churches and see the wonderful things that God has done for us through the Cross of Calvary. If you don't bother to read the will, you won't have any idea of what has been left for you.
How do you pray “genuine heart-felt prayers?” Simply by keeping yourself in the love of God. If the love of God is in you, you will never pray hypocritical or selfish prayers. In fact, you won't have to pray selfish prayers, if you have a heart of love. When your prayer-life is pleasing to God, the Bible says that He will reward you openly (Matthew 6:6).
How do you know that you are praying to “the God revealed in Holy Scripture?” Study the Word. Don't accept the image of God portrayed by the world, even though it appeals to the natural mind.
A loving, kind fatherly-figure, with no sense of justice or truth appeals to guilty sinners. Look to the thunderings and lightnings of Mount Sinai.
Gaze at Jesus on the cross of Calvary—hanging in unspeakable agony because of the Justice of a holy God. Such thoughts tend to banish idolatry.
Warfare—Praise The Lord and Pass the Ammunition
Previous…
- Feeding on the Word—Daily Nutrition
“A healthy baby has a healthy appetite.If you have truly been “born” of the Spirit of God, you will have a healthy appetite…” [Read more]
- Faith—Elevators Can Let You Down
“…in a world where we are continually let down, we can totally rely on, trust in, count on His promises… He will never, ever, let you down…” [Read more] - Evangelism—Our Most Sobering Task
“You probably have a limited amount of time after your conversion to impact your unsaved friends and family with the Gospel… Here's some advice that will save you a great deal of grief…” [Read more] - Prayer—“Wait For A Minute.”
Next…
- Warfare—Praise The Lord and Pass the Ammunition
“When you became a Christian, you stepped right into the heat of an age-old battle.You have a three-fold enemy—the world, the flesh, and the devil… Let's look at these three resistant enemies…” [Read more]
- Fellowship—Flutter by Butterfly
“Pray about where you should fellowship… Don't become a ‘spiritual butterfly.’ Send your roots down…” [Read more]
- Thanksgiving—Do the Right Thing
“For the Christian, every day should be Thanksgiving Day.We should even be thankful in the midst of problems…” [Read more]
- Water Baptism
[Read more] - Supporting God’s work and workers—The Last Frontier
“It was once said that the wallet is the “last frontier.” It is the final area to be conquered—the last thing that comes to God in surrender…” [Read more]
- Troubleshooting: Cults, Atheists, Skeptics
“When cults tell you that you must acknowledge God's name to be saved, that you must worship on a certain day that you must be baptized by an elder of their church, don't panic. Merely go back to the Instruction Manual…” [Read more]
Also see
Ray Comfort of Living Waters Publications. From the booklet Save Yourself Some Pain. Edited by Films for Christ. Web page Copyright © 2001, Living Waters Publications, All Rights Reserved—except as noted on attached “Usage and Copyright” page.
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Источник: //christiananswers.net/q-comfort/growing-prayer.html
Grow in Christ, Marriage, & Prayer
November 7, 2013
Meaningful Relationships must have Life!
Some relationships simply do not grow. They are static, limited, predictable – they involve persons “kept at a distance” – they are the less important relationships in our lives. Relationships that really matter, the meaningful, important ones, must be growing and developing. They must have life.
Meaningful relationships have life – vitality, ever new, ever fruitful, always more somehow than the mere sum of their parts. The relationships I want to consider here are the relationship of spouses in Christian marriage, and the relationship of a Christian with God which is known as the Christian’s life of prayer.
The two relationships ought to be ever growing, ever deepening in intimacy, ever full with life and ever fruitful.
Marriage must be, by its very nature, a relationship of great importance and priority.
Christian marriage in particular is ordered to be a covenant communion of the spouses in Christ, ordered to Christ and His mission by virtue of the spouses’ Baptism into Him, and by virtue of the meaning and the mystery of Matrimony itself. Christian marriage must have life – fertile, fruitful, growing and maturing life.
Because Christian marriage is sacramental, a supernatural reality, it is in its essence fertile and fruitful. It is based upon more than human love; it is based upon holy divine charity. Of the unique presence and empowerment of God with the spouses in this sacrament, the Catechism says,
1624 … In the epiclesis of this sacrament [Matrimony] the spouses receive the Holy Spirit as the communion of love of Christ and the Church. [Cf. Eph 5:32] The Holy Spirit is the seal of their covenant, the ever available source of their love and the strength to renew their fidelity.1639 The consent by which the spouses mutually give and receive one another is sealed by God himself. [Cf. Mk 10:9] … The covenant between the spouses is integrated into God’s covenant with man: “Authentic married love is caught up into divine love.” [GS 48 # 2]
A good and natural marriage (a non-sacramental one) in itself calls persons into a bond that is alive, growing and rich in human fruitfulness. But how much more does the supernatural covenantal bond in Christ, of a sacramental union of spouses in Him, call forth supernatural life? A marriage in Christ calls us beyond the natural to a holy union in Him. Paul wrote:
Eph 5:31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
Eph 5:32 This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church…
Among natural relationships, that of a man with his father and mother is profound. It is fundamental, it is foundational to his personhood, his very being.
Yet Christian marriage calls the man to leave that foundation of a natural relationship with father and mother, to one that is supernatural and sacramental.
Christian marriage – the mystery of the conjugal covenantal communion of human persons – prophetically proclaims the even more profound mystery of Christ and His Church, as Paul observed.
How can a Christian marriage truly have the supernatural life to which it is ordered? The marriage union must be, truly and actually, in Christ. How can the marriage truly be one in Christ? The spouses must be, really and truly, in Christ.When the spouses personally live the life they were given first at Baptism in Christ, their marriage will be a marriage in Christ. When the spouses are personally growing in Christ, their marriage will be growing in Christ.
When the spouses personally are experiencing the fruitfulness of the life of Christ in their individual souls, then the marriage will bring forth the fruitfulness of the life that Christ came to give us all.
Growing in Christ Means Growing in Prayer
And so how does a Catholic Christian truly and personally grow in Christ? How is his personal relationship with Christ nurtured, that it may grow – that he may grow, and mature to the fullness of the stature that God has intended for him from the beginning? Well, we grow through the sacraments that bring us grace, we grow through Holy Scripture that brings us truth, and we grow through prayer which in itself is our relationship with God. Prayer is relationship. The Catechism teaches:
2564 Christian prayer is a covenant relationship between God and man in Christ. It is the action of God and of man, springing forth from both the Holy Spirit and ourselves, wholly directed to the Father, in union with the human will of the Son of God made man.
2565 In the New Covenant, prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit…. Thus, the life of prayer is the habit of being in the presence of the thrice-holy God and in communion with him.
The key is prayer. Prayer unlocks and ignites fruitful life in Christ, which then empowers and nurtures fruitful sacramental marriage. And because prayer is relationship, we begin to see the thread that unites these subjects: our relationship with Christ is our life of prayer; our relationship in marriage is dependent upon our life in Christ, our life of prayer with Him.
“The life of prayer is the habit of being in the presence” of God. We need to develop a life habitually in prayer-communion with God. We need to grow in prayer, until by habit we live dwelling with Him. By habit, when we remain in Him, we remain prayerful. We become persons of prayer, we become persons with whom relationships matter, and are fruitful for Christ.
This ends part one of a two-part series on Growing as a Christian. Part two will focus on prayer. Prayer is both an art and a science. We will consider both the art and the science of prayer: we will find that the journey of prayer is a journey traveled in stages, each one leads into the next, for those willing to grow.
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Источник: //catholicexchange.com/grow-christ-marriage-prayer
10 Short Daily Prayers For Christians
Prayer is something that should be a part of our lives daily throughout the day. We should pray when we wake up, go to sleep, and many times in between. Even if you and I don’t have a lot of time to pray, God still wants to hear us. Here are 10 short daily prayers that you can pray throughout your day.
Morning
“In the morning when I rise, in the morning when I rise, in the morning when I rise, give me Jesus.” (Fernando Ortega, Give Me Jesus)
Father in Heaven,
Thank you for watching over me as I slept through the night. Your hands of comfort and strength held me as You watched over me. Father, I love You. You love me so much and I am in awe of how amazing You truly are. As I begin my day, I simply pray that you walk with me and lead me where you please. May Your will be done this day. Amen
In The Car
“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
O Lord,
An ambulance just went by. Father, I pray for Your mercy on who is injured in that ambulance. Father, use your hands of healing on them and bring them to the hospital safely.
May it be that they will live through this and find You if they haven’t already. Father, reach for them and show them Your love. Be with the family of this person and comfort them through this time of pain and suffering.
May Your name be glorified in this. I love You, Father! Amen
I pray that today you will be with me as I am patient with my boss (the thorn in my flesh).
Your Boss (The Thorn In Your Flesh?)
“I don’t wanna say a word, unless it points the world back to you, back to you!” (Hawk Nelson, Words)
Lord,
I pray that today you will be with me as I am patient with my boss. He/she preaches diversity and equality to look good and does things that are the complete opposite. Father, this is such a struggle for me.
I don’t even want to go to work some days because of the unfairness. I have strength to go on those days only because of You, Father. Thank You for giving me Your peace that passes all understanding when I need it most.
May my boss and fellow workers see Jesus in me today. I love You, Father! Amen
School
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15)
Dear Lord,
I thank You for my school and the faculty that runs it. I pray that you will give me courage to speak the truth in the midst of lies that may be taught there. I don’t ever want to accept a lie just to get a better grade.
Father, be with me as I fight for truth in the midst of chaotic moments there. I know we did not evolve from monkeys because God made humans special and different from the animals.
May it be that Your name be glorified today as I shine the light of Jesus Christ to a hurting world. I love You, Lord! Amen
Rifts Among Friends
“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?” (James 4:1)
Forgiving Father,
Forgive me for my own sin that is a part of the reason for a hurting friendship. I miss the way things were before our fight. Lord, I need your strength right now. I want to mend this relationship badly, but it has to be You that my friend sees in me. Father, give me the words to say today as I try to reconcile a wonderful friendship. I love You, Lord! Amen
Plans
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Gracious Lord,
I have many things to do today. Bills need to be paid, a dental check-up, an oil change in my car and many other things. Father, I pray that You will be with me as I do all of these things. More importantly, I ask that You show me what plans You have prepared for me today. May it be that I don’t put my plans ahead of Yours, Lord. You know what is best for me, Father, and I love You! Amen
Prayer For The Evening Meal
“Blessed be the Name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore!” (Psalm 113:2)
Father in Heaven,
Blessed be Your Name! You have brought my family back home safely through all of the things we accomplished today. I am grateful for this family You have given me. Thank you for my spouse and my children. I am truly blessed. Father, thank you for this food that has been prepared.
I pray that You would use it to nourish our bodies and give us strength. Thank You most of all for Your Son, Jesus, who paid the price for our sins on the cross. Words cannot express how thankful I am for the cross.
All glory, honor and praise belong to You! I love You, Father! Amen
Prayer Before Devotions
“An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” (Proverbs 18:15)
Dear Lord,
Prepare my heart for what I am about to read in Your Holy Word. I pray that You would enlighten my mind to understand everything I read. I want to know You more, Father. Show me Your will in this time as I grow closer to You through Scripture. I praise Your Holy Name, Father! I love You! Amen
I Am Thankful
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His Name!” (Psalm 100:4)
Wonderful Lord,
I just want to thank You for everything You are. You have given me Jesus and now You look at me as if I am holy. I can’t wrap my mind around this because I know how stained I am with sin. Father, I thank You for the beauty in nature.
Thank you for lush wooded forests, crystal clear island waters, the sun for warmth and light, the moon, and the twinkling stars that You have specifically placed into constellations for us. You are wonderful and awe-inspiring, Father.
I love You! Amen
Prayer For The Lost
“All the poor and powerless
And all the lost and lonely
All the thieves will come confess
And know that You are holy
And know that You are holy” (All Sons And Daughters, All The Poor And Powerless)
Father, God
I pray for the lost and hurting people in this world. We are all surrounded by greed, malice, strife, conceit, pride, and many other horrible, evil things. Father, I pray that You would use me to spread Your Good News to someone today.
It grieves me to know many who have died without Jesus. Hell is such a horrible place. To be eternally separated from You is hell, Father! I am eternally grateful for the cross, and Jesus’ blood spilled for me.
Father, I truly am in love with You! Amen
8 Evening Prayers to End Your Day
Resources – The Holy Bible, English Standard Version “Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. “Give me Jesus” by Fernando Ortega
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The 10 Greatest Pope John Paul II Quotes on Youth
Pope St. John Paul II had a deep love and compassion for young people. His faith in the the love, energy, and joy of youth was tangible to all who grew up during his pontificate. It is still tangible in his many writings. Here are the 10 greatest Pope John Paul II quotes on youth to inspire and encourage you.
1. “It is Jesus you seek when you dream of happiness; he is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; he is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is he who provokes you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is he who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is he who reads in your hearts your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle. It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be grounded down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.”
“I thirst” (John 19:28). These were among Jesus’ last words. We all thirst. We spend our lives seeking fulfillment. We look in so many places. We seek fame, power, money, security, pleasure. The list goes on and on. When these fail; we seek distraction.
Our culture has excelled at distraction. It is full of noise and amusement. However, these too fail. Only one thing satisfies—and that is Jesus. After our long search in all these other places; at last we can find the one who understands us and fulfills us.
This is the pressing question of our time; does religion take away our freedom or enhance it? Truly our faith places demands upon us. Love places demands on us. Modern culture says that anything that places demands on us limits our freedom.
“How can I be free if I have responsibilities? How can I be free if I have obligations to others?” However, we become most alive when we live for others. Anyone who has fallen in love knows they are most alive when they have given themselves completely and exclusively to the one they love; forgoing all other loves. Love brings inner freedom.
It animates and elevates our human nature. Jesus Christ is perfect love. In him, we find freedom in abundance.
3. “Only in Christ can men and women find answers to the ultimate questions that trouble them. Only in Christ can they fully understand their dignity as persons created and loved by God. Jesus Christ is “the only Son from the Father…full of grace and truth.”
How do you solve your problems? Oftentimes, I try to solve all the issues in my life by ramming my way through. I think if only I do this, or if only I do that, my problems will be fixed.
However, it is only in spending time in prayer and contemplation that I find peace in my problems.
I encourage you to set aside 10-15 minutes each day for prayer to talk to God about all that both troubles you and excites you.
4. “At this stage of history, the liberating message of the Gospel of Life has been put into your hands. And the mission of proclaiming it to the ends of the earth is now passing to your generation. the great Apostle Paul, you too must feel the full urgency of the task: “Woe to me if I do not evangelize” (1 Cor 9:16). Woe to you if you do not succeed in defending life. The Church needs your energies, your enthusiasm, your youthful ideals, in order to make the Gospel of Life penetrate the fabric of society, transforming people’s hearts and the structures of society in order to create a civilization of true justice and love. Now more than ever, in a world that is often without light and without the courage of noble ideals, people need the fresh, vital spirituality of the Gospel.”
God has created each of us for a purpose. He has a very specific plan for each and every one of us.
He needs our energy to help transform people’s hearts into love! It’s easy to think what we do does not matter, however, if we do not listen to his call, there is no one else to do the specific tasks he has given us.
Knowing that our call is unique and our role irreplaceable must shape our actions. We have an urgent call and pressing responsibility to help the world encounter Jesus.
5. “Remember that you are never alone, Christ is with you on your journey every day of your lives! He has called you and chosen you to live in the freedom of the children of God. Turn to him in prayer and in love. Ask him to grant you the courage and strength to live in this freedom always. Walk with him who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life”!”
We are never alone. No matter the difficulties we face. Jesus Christ accompanies us. He makes Himself present to us in prayer. God gives us strength and grace through the sacraments. Frequent reception of the Eucharist in Mass and frequent Confession can help elevate us to live freely as children of God.
6. “Only in Christ do we find real love, and the fullness of life. And so I invite you today to look to Christ. When you wonder about the mystery of yourself, look to Christ who gives you the meaning of life. When you wonder what it means to be a mature person, look to Christ who is the fullness of humanity. And when you wonder about your role in the future of the world and of the United States, look to Christ. Only in Christ will you fulfill your potential as an American citizen and as a citizen of the world community.”
In today’s polarizing political climate, it is easy to become frustrated or scared with the way our country is going. However, instead of simply trusting in political candidates, we need to pray for the conversion of our country, our politicians and our world. We also need to place our hope and trust in Jesus instead of the political system.
7. “To the whole Church is addressed Christ's соmmаnd: ‘Gо оut tо the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation’ (Mk 16:15). The whole Church, therefore, is missionary and evangelizing; she lives constantly in a state of mission. To be Christians means to be missionaries, to be apostles. It is not enough to discover Christ – you must bring Him to others!”
How do we bring Christ to others? When is the last time we have invited a friend to Mass or to pray with us? Lately, when a friend requests prayer, instead of simply saying, “Sure, I will pray for you,” our family has decided to ask them to pray with us right on the spot. In just a very short time, we have already found that it is a very powerful way to show God’s love and bring him to others.
8. “I repeat again today what I said at Santiago de Compostela: “Young people, do not be afraid to be holy!” Fly high, be among those whose goals are worthy of sons and daughters of God. Glorify God in your lives!”
So often we are afraid of the demands of our Christian faith, for our faith demands sacrifice. Saint John Paul II encourages us; do not be afraid. Certainly, placing others above ourselves is difficult. We cannot promise it will not be painful, only that it will be worth it. We must not let fear dissuade us from flying high, from aspiring to be who we were created to be.
9. “Dear young people, you know that Christianity is not an opinion nor does it consist of empty words. Christianity is Christ! It is a Person, a Living Person! To meet Jesus, to love him and make him loved: this is the Christian vocation. Mary was given to you to help you enter into a more authentic and more personal relationship with Jesus. Through her example, Mary teaches you to gaze on him with love, for He has loved us first. Through her intercession, she forms in you a disciple’s heart able to listen to her Son, who reveals the face of his Father and the true dignity of the human person.”
Recently, I have started praying the rosary more frequently. As I mediate on the mysteries, I realize that Mary truly was a human person. She had the same fears, apprehensions, and challenges that we do.
She also experienced the same joys, personal relationships, and emotions as us. Especially now that I am a mother, I to think about how our lives are similar, and how she would handle some of my troubles.
Through her eyes, I have learned how to more fully love Jesus especially as I ponder him as a young boy.
10. “My dear young people, only Jesus knows what is in your hearts and your deepest desires. Only He, who has loved you to the end (cf. Jn 13:1), can fulfil your aspirations. His are words of eternal life, words that give meaning to life. No one apart from Christ can give you true happiness. By following the example of Mary, you should know how to give Him your unconditional “yes”. There is no place in your lives for selfishness or laziness. Now more than ever it is crucial that you be “watchers of the dawn”, the lookouts who announce the light of dawn and the new springtime of the Gospel of which the buds can already be seen. Humanity is in urgent need of the witness of free and courageous young people who dare to go against the tide and proclaim with vigour and enthusiasm their personal faith in God, Lord and Saviour.”
True happiness and selfishness cannot coexist. We must always be looking outward, “watchers of the dawn” with our eyes fixed on Jesus.
It is easy to think the next new phone or electronic gadget, a new outfit, or a fun evening out can bring happiness. These things can bring pleasure, but they do not last.
Before too much longer, we are looking for the next new piece to give us happiness. Instead, we should place our hope in Christ.
Источник: //www.coraevans.com/blog/article/the-10-greatest-pope-john-paul-ii-quotes-on-youth
